JFisher

Hi all,

I'm a GC holder on my way to citizenship. I have considered sponsoring my just-about-retired UK parents for a GC once I become a citizen, though I'm very aware of the health insurance issue for retired parents coming to the US, and I imagine my parents wouldn't work once they got here, so coverage through an employer is out of the question.

But let's get fanciful for a minute and say that my parents did have the money to buy their own health insurance and afford copays etc. Does anyone know of anyone aged 64+ who has been able to even get a healthcare plan? I know that things might change with the new healthcare legislation, but the ability to find coverage even if you were a loaded sounds a little suspect to me.

My parents know about the possibility of me sponsoring them and I've been breaking the bad news to them slowly about how unfeasible it is, but the likelihood of getting health coverage is something they've been asking about. Thanks for any knowledge you might have.

meauxna

Hi there, there's a similar discussion going on here: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=698364

JFisher

Thanks, I just read that after I posted. And here was me trying to be all diligent and search for similar posts before I posted

I suppose what I'm looking for is anyone who's actually DONE this and been successful, as opposed to just getting advice on how much it would cost etc. I would like to know if anyone knows anyone who's actually gone through the process or knows someone who has.

meauxna

No one has come forward in the other thread have they?

It seems there have been a few people here, but no one who's gone 'naked' like you suggest (IE ones I've known, the parents have worked for a while or had a US spouse.. nothing exactly like what you describe).

Is it that you don't believe they could buy the policy? Or you think the premiums aren't that high? Or?

JFisher

I think they couldn't afford it, unless they have money stashed away that I don't know about. And if they do, I guess I'll tell them what I suspected I'd find here: that people I spoke to have some helpful links and info but no one knows anyone who's been in the exact situation they'd be in. The first time I brought up health insurance with them they thought I was making it up, so at least this is progress! Well maybe not making it up, but being "too dramatic" about it possibly being quite expensive and fairly tough to get.

Nutmegger

Presumably the OP has health insurance. Why not talk to that company's customer service people and see what they can tell you about insuring an older person who isn't eligible for public coverage? Rather than look at other people's hypothetics, going straight to the source seems like a good idea. Or look for a local insurance brokerage that specializes in health insurance and ask them for quotes for a resident of your state based on your parents' specifics. That way you can give your parents facts to help them see just what the situation is.

Bob

A lot of it will depend on the state and what kind of high risk pool they might offer, or if your work insurance will allow you to add parents to the cover.

Possible, rare, and often very expensive.

I think someone did bring ageing parent over a few years ago, but very unlikely for most people to bother without forking out a lot of money....but if under 65 with no pre-existing cover, they should be able to get insurance. It becomes much harder once they hit 70.

Thing is, will they enjoy the life? After knowing everything and the like, to being in a completely unknown environment?

Perhaps they could just do the snow bird thing and stay for a few months at a time?

scrubbedexpat099

This comes up here and on Visajourney all the time.

Short story

I have only come across 2 responses, one who was able to add them to their work cover and one who was 64 and was nearly bankrupted by medical issues.

Most, certainly on VJ, are coming from Countries where the local option is not good and Emergency Room treatment/ local surgeries that cater for their groups etc look a reasonable alternate.

Giantaxe

The thing is, even if they could get it, they might lose that insurance come the first serious illness. That's what makes coming over here in older age so fraught with difficulties, imo. It's possible that heathcare reform might change some of this in 2014, but I guess it's a big "if" whether it gets implemented right now.

farmerwife

I haven't jumped into this for a while, because all the stuff I had to say should have come up in the 'search past threads' thingy.
But to summarise, I became a USC in 2007, and then sponsored my elder parents for 'greencards'. They arrived a year later, with PR at entry.
The 'elder health insurance' debate is SO state specific. What works in one may not work in another. In Oregon my father was eligible for the OMIP, - Oregon Medical Insurance Pool. His spouse my mother could be added to that policy. Also in Oregon, Regence BlueCrossBlue Shield will take age 65+, in fact they are the administrators of OMIP.
However, as is often pointed out, living here is not like a vacation, and although they had always enjoyed visiting and were keen to move, Mother got homesick immediately and determined to go back to UK. Father would like to have stayed in USA, but went back with her; they were here 1 year.

People do often comment though, well folks can just visit often/be snowbirds instead. But the insurance there can be issues for the 'old old' especially those with major preexisting. Also time will come when they are no longer able to travel, and you won't see them at all unless you go to the UK.

MassKath

I brought both my parents to the US 2 years ago as greencard holders. They both have insurance with blue cross blue shield of MA, it costs them $14,700 per year to cover them both. they have a deductable of $1,000 each and a co-pay of $25 for office visits and RX coverage at 15/50/100. They will not get any help with the cost until they have been resident for 5 years. After that they will get Medicaid from the state.

I made sure that we would be able to fund their insurance costs for the full 5 years before they applied for their greencards. Both my parents have pre-existing conditions dad (68) has diabetis and mum(69) had a thyroid problem as well as just getting older.

scrubbedexpat099

Ouch, I was thinking MA would be one of the better options.

The premiums would not be fixed for 5 years and then the option would be to buy into Medicare not Medicaid

airways

My mum has decided to do the snowbird thing and just over winter with us when we move. That way she is covered by the VWP and the NHS & Travel Insurance.

MassKath

To buy into Medicare would still cost over $500 each per month. Buying into Medicare is an option it is not compulsory. Their insurance increased by 10% this year and we expect it to do that every year. Once they have been here for 5 years they will be able to access MA Commonwelth care insurance which is income based so the cost will be much less than it is now.

scrubbedexpat099

That has to be a MA thing, not available as far as I know in any other State.

But interesting, buying into Medicare is not the best option in MA when it is the only serious option elsewhere,

And of course the subsidy is mainly Federal money.